Only a Second Faster
by Ultimate Black Ace
Summary: The fate of the Cell games is known to us all, Gohan ascends, becoming the first Super Saiyan 2, and Goku sacrifices himself to prevent the earth's destruction, leaving all he knows behind. But what if Gohan was just a second faster? What new journeys would he embark upon.


**Everyone who reads this fic, please read the author's note at the bottom once you finish. It is very important for you to understand the point of this story.**

Disclaimer. I own nothing. I admit completely to blatantly ripping of Dragon Ball Z. None of this is mine and if the actual owner, Akira Toriyama were to ask me to take this down, I would. There is no need to file a lawsuit.

The entire sky was lit up by a colossal blue-white light after the most recent clash of two titans, each of indomitable strength, however one had a distinct advantage. The light from their attacks could easily be seen on the horizon anywhere in the hemisphere of the globe, from space it seemed as though the earth was glowing millions of time brighter than any star. As the light finally passed it revealed a strange humanoid insect in its wake, covered in plates of an exoskeleton varying in color, some blacker than night, others so bright a green that they seemed toxic. The creature, a monster known as Cell, was one of the two titans of the clash. The other titan, a young boy named Gohan, a boy not yet twelve, yet already stronger than all of his allies combined, a boy in a tattered purple gi and with spiky golden hair standing up, with one jagged bang over his face.

Cell had been ripped apart in their Kame-Hame-Ha battle, having easily been overpowered and as a result half of his body was disintegrated, the rest badly wounded. As the Z-fighters, Gohan's friends and family, rose from the sand created out of the wasteland where the two Turtle Destruction Waves met, in awe of the youngest of their number's newfound power, the dormant power which he had finally unleashed, they noticed that the battle was not over, that Cell had not been destroyed.

As they gasped, Gohan simply smirked, satisfied, happy even, that the bug had survived so that he might make the monster suffer for all which he had done before death, a sadistic light in his eyes. As the boy simply stood there the Z-fighters were shocked, Cell was weak and vulnerable, and yet the first ever Super Saiyan Two did nothing, giving the creature time to regenerate. "Hey, what wrong? What's he waiting for?" As these words left Tien's mouth, Goku's smile left his.

"No! He's a boy, there's no way that little brat could be so strong!" Cell was shocked, he was in his perfect form, having waited for this power for years, the epitome of the mad Dr. Gero's scientific ability, a monster to be without compare, yet a boy who had turned eleven not a week ago was toying with him, crushing him completely without the slightest hint of effort.

"Hey, if he waits too long Cell will regenerate himself!" The other Z-fighters turned back to look at Piccolo, except for Gohan, whose predatory eyes never left Cell. The Super Namekian continued his explanation, "He has my cells in him!"

Goku turned back to his son. He cried out in his fear, "Gohan, you've got to take Cell down now before he can regenerate." Gohan finally averted his eyes from Cell and Goku had to refrain from recoiling at his gentle son's eyes, overwhelmed with power the boy had become nearly as terrible of a monster as what he was now facing.

"Take him down now?" Gohan seemed dismissive of his father's advice, not even considering it to be a viable idea. "No, I think I'll wait. I'm going to let him suffer for a little while." He turned his eyes back to Cell, waiting for Cell's regeneration to commence, for the bloodbath to resume.

Goku was completely shocked, "Wait? No Gohan."

"He's running out of time Goku," Piccolo cautioned, fully aware that should Cell regenerate he would be stronger than before, the Saiyan DNA in him increasing his strength every time he recovered from damage.

All Goku said in response was a simple, "yeah." It was all he said, all he could say before he shouted at his only child. "Gohan, listen to me you've got to get him. Do it now!" Gohan looked back at his father, the arrogance in his eyes equal to that of Frieza, of Kind Cold, of Cooler, of _Cell_. Goku continued. "We all know you have the power, it's time to use it!"

Gohan simply turned his head back right before Cell began grunting. Cell had finally begun his regeneration, first his right arm, then his antennae, his legs and finally thick black wings. "I am whole," he declared. "You wretched child, how dare you. How DARE YOOOUUUU!" He shouted in his rage and began to power up, far more power than he had ever utilized before in battle.

As he powered up, Cell swelled, larger than three large men before the new power up, now he was a hulking behemoth, a monster of even greater strength. He fell to the ground, it shaking underneath his new size. "Oh no, Cell's back to his old evil self," Krillin said, managing to keep himself from trembling.

"Boy," Cells voice had changed, far deeper and reflecting the monster's true insanity. "You won't defeat me. A worthless Saiyan like you can't compete with me, I am invincible!" Having said his piece, the Goliath attacked the David, striking recklessly, as hard and as fast as he was able. Yet despite his power up Cell was moving much slower than before, Gohan simply jumping around to evade the attacks.

"Look, Cell might have power, but he can't catch Gohan. He's too bulky, his size is slowing him down." the silver haired time traveler, Trunks, son of Vegeta, the proud prince of all Saiyans, and Bulma Briefs, one of the most intelligent, if not most intelligent, inventors that the earth had ever seen. He himself had made the same mistake when he fought Cell and was utterly defeated for it. Suddenly without warning Gohan struck, kicking Cell in the face.

"You're not a boy," Cell managed to grunt out. "You're a monster." Gohan deemed this worthy of an appropriate response, kicking Cell once more, this time in the stomach. Cell, about to collapse before the attack, fell heavily upon the ground. "What have you done to me?" Cell gasped out, trying to keep something, whatever it was from bursting out of his stomach.

"Hey look, somethings happening to Cell." Krillin said in revulsion of the gruesome spectacle.

"He's sick," Piccolo declared. Cell was shaking, losing the battle against his stomach. Piccolo continued, "it won't be long now." Krillin turned back out of confusion.

Then Krillin turned to his once rival, made best friend Goku, as the now gold haired man continued where Piccolo left of. "His life force is getting weaker."

Piccolo picked it back up, "and in a moment, Cell's complete power will have left him for good." Now Trunks was also bewildered by Piccolo and Goku's joint declaration.

"What? How do you know that?"

Piccolo never took his eyes off of Cell, not even sparing the time traveling half-saiyan a glance. "Watch, and you'll see." Finally Cell's neck bulged before he spewed a thick chunk of foam. Gohan's smirk only grew, savoring his enemy's agony.

Vegeta finally spoke out in his shock. "What? What's that?"

Everyone gaped as they beheld Android # 18, the final component to Cell's evolution. Tien voiced everyone's thought, "Look it's Android 18. I don't believe it, she was inside Cell the whole time."

"What but it can't be." The monk remembered seeing the android absorbed right before his eyes. "I thought she was a goner."

"But if she's free, what does that mean?" Trunks asked, confused and shocked.

The Namek spoke as he often did, straight to the heart of the matter, no unnecessary words used. "The end of Cell." Goku, Earth's second mightiest defender hoped, prayed that his once mortal enemy was correct.

Even as Cell continued to heave, his malice remained unabated. "I'll get you for this." But before he could continue, horrible agony wracked his body as changes took place.

Yamcha now spoke for the first time since the two titans traded Kame-Hame-Ha waves. "Oh man, what's happening?" Smoke poured out from the bug's pores as he shrunk and his body darkened, losing his nose and his tail regrowing. Cell had reverted back to his semi-perfect form without Android 18's energy sustaining him.

"Look, he's changed, he isn't in his final form anymore," Trunks shouted out.

Piccolo spoke, his voice showing his pride in his once pupil, yet he remained vigilant. Piccolo knew that the fight wasn't over, not yet. "Yes, he's won, Cell is not match for him." Vegeta was shocked, a child a mere child who he could have easily crushed a year ago, was absolutely decimating a foe who had the strength to finish him in a few strikes.

Cell panted before looking back, back at the child, the monster who had defeated him. He screamed in rage. "BOYYY! You little insect, you made a fool of me." He screamed and charged, only to be completely dodged time and time again, before Gohan jumped forward, ramming his shoulder into Cell's core.

As Cell slid, nearly falling into a narrow, yet apparently bottomless ravine, Krillin cheered. "Yes, that's the way-"

"Gohan, finish him off now!" Piccolo interrupted, unwilling to allow Cell a second to scheme, well aware of the creature's cunning. Gohan seemed to respond, walking forward as Cell looked back at his tormentor, fear never more apparent in his eyes.

He attempted to beg, hoping that Gohan's compassionate side would stay his hand, a side that had long since been subdued since the death of Android 16."Stay away from me you monster." He attempted to step back, only for the edge of the ravine to fall, him alongside it. Cell only just managed to grasp the edge.

Gohan put his foot down, right on Cell's hand, the bug's apparent lifeline. "Give up," he was enjoying himself immensely at Cell's agony. "Or fall."

"No!" Cell tried to pull himself up, trying to resist the monstrous force which he had unleashed. Gohan merely, contemptuously even, placed his other foot on Cell's face and pushed. Along with a tumble of rocks, Cell came falling down. He disappeared down into the dark depths. However Cell rose once more in a streak of unholy golden light, his aura screaming alongside the souls of those who were absorbed by the monster, a demon seeking the world of light. The moment Cell was above the ravine, he was sent reeling back, the imprint of a strange shoe with pointed toes in his face. "I'll get you for this boy, I swear I will."

"Cell give up, you aren't going to beat me." Gohan seemed to finally have sated his blood lust, almost ready to simply end the fight one way or another. Ready to kill Cell or let him escape, whichever choice the bio-android was willing to make. Gohan no longer seemed to be the monster, his inner grief was starting to finally chip away at his rage.

"Gohan is toying with him." Piccolo was shocked, his pupil, his pride acting so sadistically. Gohan, his first friend, the reason for his change, acting every bit the monster that the young half-saiyan's first teacher once was.

"Now Gohan, end it right now!" Goku urged his son to act, to finish the monster. To end the earth's greatest terror, and let the world wake from its nightmare. "There's no time to waste! Get him Gohan."

Gohan simply walked forward as Cell quivered in fear. "No, stay back!" The monster's tone was pleading. Suddenly he hunched over and released a pulse of energy, creating a large cloud of dust as the bug's body began to bulge and distend. Every Z-fighter watched in horror as Dr. Gero's final creation prepared his last resort.

He raised his inflated hand and began laughing in triumph. "Boy this is the end for you. You thought you could beat me, but you can't." He paused for another fit of his hysterical chuckles. "I'm going to blow myself up now, and I'm going to take you with me. Say goodbye to your precious planet."

All of the Z-fighters were shocked at Cell's plan, that lacking the means to win, he was willing to destroy everything. Even Vegeta was appalled, despite having tried it himself. "What blow up the earth?"

Piccolo confirmed Vegeta's question. "Yes, Cell's not bluffing this time. I know he'll do it." Piccolo knew that someone like Cell, whose sins guaranteed him an eternity in hell would prefer to kill himself that allow himself to be defeated. If he could not win, he would at least not lose and die alone.

All the while the humans gaped as Cell continued laughing, unaffected by the consequences of this new tactic, as he continued to swell. "You loose little man, I'm going to destroy this planet." This new threat finally breaking through to Gohan, mostly under control of himself once more.

Gohan prepared himself to finally destroy the monster in one shot. "No you won't," he declared ready to do whatever it took to save his home planet.

Cell, while before he would've been terrified, was now amused by the child's bravado. "Watch out, you might make me explode! You don't want to make me upset; one little shock could set me off. Then it's bye-bye Gohan, bye-bye Goku, and so long earth." Gohan was trembling, he was indecisive. If he waited Cell would explode, if he acted Cell would explode. No matter what action he took, Cell would go to Otherworld and take the human race along with him. Cell's swelling continued unabated, "one more minute boy, and then it will all be over." Gohan couldn't help but back away, unable to resist the reflex despite knowing that it would be useless, the explosion would devour the entire planet. "There's forty more seconds left." At this point Cell was mocking, as confident as he was when had was in his perfect form.

_Dad was right,_ Gohan was full of regrets, _I should've destroyed Cell when I had the chance. I let my powers go to my head. _"I could have destroyed Cell, now there's nothing I can do." Gohan fell to his knees, horrified at what the results of his arrogance had brought, and bowed his head as if seeking repentance. "What have I done?" He slammed his fists, denting the ground having realized his folly. "I've been a fool, I've let Cell win again."

Goku looked back at his friends, people who he had sworn in his heart to protect with everything he he had. Goku's oldest friend present looked to him for guidance, "what is it Goku? Do you have some kind of plan or something?" Goku simply smiled. Krillen was bewildered, but willing to do whatever it would take. "What? What do you want us to do?"

Goku prepared for what he knew would be one of the last words to leave his mouth and be heard on earth. "Listen, there's not much time left and I can only think of one way to save the earth now."

Even the genius Piccolo could not determine the Saiyan's plan. "What are you talking about?"

Only the time traveler, Trunks, was able to determine Goku's plan. "No, don't. I think I know what you have planned Goku. You don't have to do this." In spite of his brave words, Trunks knew that for Goku, there was no choice. He could save himself, but would always place everything else first. He would always save the earth, whenever it needed its hero.

Goku placed his fingers upon his forehead, as if to salute the Z-fighters goodbye. To say goodbye to his allies, to say "goodbye, my friends."

Only Krillin could speak out. "Wait, Goku don't leave us!"

Cell's maniacal laughter could still be heard clearly. "Ten more seconds and the earth will be gone!" He looked upon Gohan, still hunched over by his shock and guilt, the only being to ever challenge and exceed his ultimate power. "I guess we'll call the game a draw."

Krillin screamed as Goku suddenly vanished and reappeared right next to Cell and Gohan, and looked upon his son. Goku was ready to say goodbye to the one whom he cared for most in the world. Gohan searched his father's eyes for what he expected, disappointment, anger, scorn and hate, yet he knew deep down that Goku could never feel such emotion for someone whom he loved, and only saw his father's true emotion. He only saw happiness, happiness that the people of earth would be saved, pride, pride in his son and the fine young man he grew up to be, and love, love for the earth, Z-fighters, Chichi and Gohan. "Hey, you put up a good fight Gohan, I'm proud of you." Goku's voice was gentle, reflecting the emotions he felt for his treasured son.

"What, daddy?" Gohan was not consciously aware of what his beloved father was doing, but deep down he knew, he knew what was about to happen.

"Take care of your mother for me, she needs you. Tell her that I had to do this Gohan. Goodbye, my son."

Goku's first true enemy, the reformed son of a god's evil called out, "Goku no!" Gohan reached for his father, hoping that he could somehow stop him, but it was too late, Goku had already prepared his Instant Transmission. Gohan could not stop his father in time. He only managed to grab Goku's orange gi and held on tight. The three of them vanished in an instant. None of the Z-fighters could so much as react.

The trio, father, son and monstrous bio-android all appeared in the realm of one of the heavenly overseers of the universe. They all appeared on the planet of King Kai. "Goku what have you done? Are you out of your mind!" However Goku was not listening to his teacher, at the moment he had a far more pressing matter on his mind.

"Gohan, you weren't supposed to be here! I can't let you die too!" Cell screamed in agony and dismay, unable to hold in the power of the explosion any longer and having been foiled by his original enemy. Goku charged for Gohan moving faster than ever before in his desperation, preparing to use Instant Transmission to take him back to earth. As he finished the technique and they were about to teleport away Cell exploded. The energy completely consumed Goku's body, leaving nothing left and had already engulfed Gohan, about to do the same when the boy, the bearer of Goku's legacy, the legacy of earth's greatest hero, vanished to worlds or dimensions unknown, the explosion having disrupted Goku's Instant Transmission.

Author's Note  
This is only a one shot, even as I started writing this I had no intention of writing another chapter of this. Why? Because I hope that you will.  
I've read a good amount of crossovers staring Gohan during or immediatly after the Cell Games, but they often all have the exact same problem, they don't have a great way to get Gohan into the other dimension/world. Many of the greatest authors on this site have had to resort to Gohan randomly being sucked into a rift as an effect of his final Kame-Hame-Ha against Cell, which really makes no sense. This way, it's possible. Gohan is in Otherworld when Cell blows Goku up as he uses Instant Transmission to go between dimensions. Thus bringing Gohan to whatever world you desire for your crossover.

My method has several advantages.  
First, if Gohan is too strong for what you want to place him in, well, he was just blown up, chances are that will hurt him pretty badly. And you don't even have tp have him injured if you don't want him to be.  
Second, people sometimes want some DBZ villains to show up, well now that's possible in a way that makes sense. Cell does learn Instant Transmission and he can survive the self-destruction. He can seek revenge against Gohan, chase after him, maybe recruit villains from HFIL to take with him. And if you don't want Cell to do this, it's quite simple, he died in the explosion.  
(these two advantages are optional, you don't need to take advantage of them)  
Third, it makes it impossible for Gohan to be pulled into another random dimension if he fights someone as tough as Cell, the fighting won't open up another rift.

If you want to use this by all means go ahead, if you want to make any changes by all means go ahead. All I ask is that you give me credit, and send me a PM or review to let me know so that I can take a look. I want to read what you write.


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